Peshawar, Pakistan — In a heartbreaking incident, at least 18 members of a family drowned after being swept away by sudden flash floods in the Swat River on Friday. The victims were part of a tourist group visiting the Swat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, rescue officials confirmed.
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Rescue operations, led by Swat Rescue 1122, are ongoing. So far, 12 bodies have been recovered, with dozens of others still missing or stranded as floodwaters surged near the GE Qurban Hotel on the Swat Bypass, a popular tourist spot.
Massive Rescue Operation Underway
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported that more than 120 rescue personnel have been deployed across eight different locations. According to official figures, the floods have resulted in at least 11 confirmed deaths across Swat (10) and Malakand (1), with 56 houses damaged in Swat alone.
At least 120 people were initially reported trapped, with 107 rescued by emergency teams. Operations are continuing around the clock.
“All departments, including Rescue 1122, remain fully engaged in field operations to ensure maximum safety and relief,” said a PDMA spokesperson.
Additional bodies were recovered from Ingaroderai and Ghalegy, where seven people remain stranded. Other high-risk areas include Imam Dhirai, where 22 individuals were rescued, and Manyar, where Rescue Stations 44 and 55 are jointly working to assist those still caught in floodwaters.
Administrative Action and Accountability
Following the incident, KP Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah suspended three officials — Swat Additional Deputy Commissioner Ihsan-ul-Haq, Babuzai Assistant Commissioner Nida Iqbal, and Khwazakhela AC Muhammad Amir Khan — citing mishandling of emergency protocols.
The official notification, issued under Rule-6 of the KP Government Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2011, described the tragedy as an “untoward incident” that could have been mitigated with better preparedness.
Flood Alert Issued Across Region
As water levels rise, Charsadda Deputy Commissioner Qaiser Khan issued a flood alert, warning that the discharge at Khwazakela in the Swat River had reached 77,782 cusecs, officially categorized as a “very high flood.” Rescue teams have been deployed along the banks of both the Swat and Kabul Rivers.
Authorities used mosque loudspeakers to warn residents and urged people to relocate to safer areas immediately.
“We are closely monitoring the flow at Munda headworks. Until 3 pm, the flow remained normal,” DC Khan told Dawn.com.
Climate Change or Natural Disaster?
The tragedy has reignited debate around climate resilience and government preparedness. Senator Sherry Rehman, former Climate Change Minister, criticised the term “natural disaster,” emphasizing the climate crisis driving such extreme weather events.
“The tragic drowning of several people in the River Swat is NOT the result of a random ‘natural disaster’,” she posted on X.
“It’s the deadly impact of super heavy monsoons triggered by climate stress. We must stop calling these random acts of nature — they are tied to human actions and poor early-warning compliance.”
Rehman urged the public and government alike to take climate change seriously and invest in disaster preparedness and public awareness, especially in high-risk regions like Swat.
Ongoing Crisis
With more rain expected and rivers swollen beyond safe levels, rescue and relief efforts continue, but the scale of the tragedy has left local communities and officials in shock.
As search teams work tirelessly to recover the remaining victims and support displaced families, Pakistan is once again grappling with the devastating consequences of climate-induced flooding, a growing threat in the country’s vulnerable northern regions.
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